Six staff at the Screensound National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra were made redundant yesterday and a rally in support of the sacked workers is planned for this weekend.
An article in the Canberra Times by Arts Editor, Helen Musa said:
“It is not yet clear how many other jobs will be lost from Canberra, but
in a paper dealing with the Australian Film Commission’s integration
with ScreenSound it is clear more positions will go from the ACT under
the new arrangements.”
As part of a restructure of the organisation, the Acting Director Mary
Durkin has been made redundant, along with deputy director Pam Saunders, collections
branch manager Meg Labrum, sound and music expert Jeff Brownrigg and
archivists Anne Bayliss and Elizabeth Jamieson.
Melbourne and Sydney managers have also been told their position are
“surplus to requirements.”
The moves come as ScreenSound is in the process of being moved into the Australian Film Commission as a result of changes that were initiated in the Federal Budget (see last week’s story). ScreenSound was previously run by DCITA.
In June Senator Rod Kemp told the Senate that staff “would not be
disadvantaged” by the restructure. Opposition arts spokeswoman Senator Kate Lundy told The Canberra Times the Howard
Government has “lied” over the Screensound merger with the AFC.
Former deputy director of ScreenSound Ray Edmondson told The Canberra Times he was “just stunned” by the
news, which will make Screen Sound a junior partner to the AFC as a result of the restructure.
In response to the recommendations contained in the Screensound Review Paper issued by the AFC yesterday, the CPSU has organised a rally in support of ScreenSound Australia this Saturday 13th December at the McCoy Circuit entrance of ScreenSound in Canberra beginning at
12 noon.
ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope said the review of ScreenSound has “sounded the death knell for the organisation.”
“This paper is a blueprint for the decimation of a major cultural institution in Canberra,” said Stanhope.
“Under the guise of providing future policy directions and activities for ScreenSound, the report systematically sets out to wipe out the physical and intellectual presence of the organisation in the ACT.
“The report proposes to change the name back to the Australian Film and Sound Archive.
“It recommends the abolition of several positions, including the Deputy Directors of Collection and Technical Services and Corporate Services and Public Programs. The Client Access and Academic Outreach Branch is slated for abolition, as is the Public Programs Branch, the Product Development and Merchandising Section and the Visitor Program and Services Section.
“The shop in Canberra is to be closed within six months.
“New positions will be created in Sydney and Melbourne, and a range of functions transferred to those cities. The offices in Sydney and Melbourne will be boosted, with additional staff and functions, including increased responsibility for collection development, information and access.
“Newly created functions will be located in Sydney or Melbourne. The proposed Indigenous Unit is a prime example of a function more appropriately located in Canberra, the centre of expertise in Indigenous affairs and cultural history.
“The proposed Screenings and Exhibitions Unit is recommended for Sydney or Melbourne – in other words anywhere but Canberra.
“A chapter of the report, ominously headed ‘Streamlining Access to the Collection’ gives a hint of the future for the ScreenSound building and staff in Canberra. It says “In a similar way to other cultural collecting and heritage institutions, increasingly access will not be achieved by visiting a building…”
“The clear intent of the review is to run down ScreenSound in the ACT. It will be left with one standing exhibition and an archival function – with no tourism value to the ACT.
“This report is hugely damaging to the ACT. It is Canberra bashing at its worst and the recommendations, if adopted, will deprive the ACT of the benefits of a cultural institution of national significance.”
The Chief Minister called on the Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp, to give the staff of ScreenSound and the people of the ACT an immediate assurance the recommendations would not be implemented.